KEYS TO THE GAME

* STYLE OF PLAY: Duke’s high-tech offense philosophy is if you can see the three, then shoot the three. Because if you can shoot 49.4% from the three-point line, as Duke has in the tournament, it’s like shooting 75% from two-point range. Maryland’s approach is more old-fashioned. The Terrapins will work the ball inside before considering any other option.

* MATCHUP TO WATCH: Steve Blake vs. Jason Williams. The Terrapins’ 6-foot-3 guard, who has long arms, probably bothers Williams more than any other defender. But Blake can be prone to foul trouble.

* INTANGIBLES: Carlos Boozer and Nate James vs. the Maryland bench. The Terrapins, led by Danny Miller and Tahj Holden, have no qualms about going 10 deep. Boozer and James will be the main Blue Devil reserves. Boozer has to be some sort of inside presence if the Duke jump shots are not falling. Maryland also has to extend its defense because Duke generally shoots its three-pointers two to three feet farther out than other teams do. And watch the team that gets a big lead. The winner of each game has come back from a double-digit deficit.

* MAGIC NUMBERS: The Terrapins have committed 55 turnovers in the three games to 41 by the Blue Devils.

* FINAL ANALYSIS: Maryland has done everything it should do to beat Duke and lost twice. If the game is tight, Duke knows it can close the deal--and that Maryland can’t.

*

DUKE (33-4) vs. MARYLAND (25-10)

5:30 p.m. PST, Ch. 2

STARTING LINEUPS

*--*

DUKE MARYLAND No Player Hgt Wgt Cl PO No Name Hgt Wgt Cl 31 Shane Battier 6-8 215 Sr F 1 Byron Mouton 6-6 215 Jr 34 Mike Dunleavy 6-7 200 So F 44 Terence Morris 6-9 205 So 20 Casey Sanders 6-11 220 So C 35 Lonny Baxter 6-8 250 Jr 21 Chris Duhon 6-2 180 Fr G 3 Juan Dixon 6-3 152 Jr 22 Jason Williams 6-2 190 So G 25 Steve Blake 6-3 175 So

*--*

*

KEY RESERVES

*--*

DUKE MARYLAND No Player P Hgt Wgt Cl No Name P Hgt Wgt Cl 4 Carlos Boozer C 6-9 260 So 15 Danny Miller F 6-8 205 Jr 14 Nate James F 6-6 205 Sr 12 Drew Nicholas G 6-3 165 So 41 M. Christensen C 6-10 240 Jr 33 M. Mardesich C 7-0 255 Sr 42 Reggie Love G 6-4 225 Fr 45 Tahj Holden F 6-10 235 So

*--*

TEAM COMPARISON

ALL GAMES

*--*

DUKE MD. Points Per Game 90.8 85.2 Opponent Points Per Game 70.1 69.8 Margin 20.7 15.4 Field-Goal Pct. .483 .486 Opponent Field-Goal Pct. .416 .403 3-Pt. Shooting Pct. .391 .377 Opp. 3-Pt. Shooting Pct. .349 .347 3-Pt. Baskets Per Game 10.6 5.7 Opp. 3-Pt. Baskets Per Game 5.3 6.8 Free Throw Pct. .693 .696 Rebound Margin 1.2 4.8 Turnovers Per Game 13.8 14.1 Turnover Differential 5.6 2.6 Steals Per Game 10.8 9.1 Blocked Shots Per Game 5.1 6.1 Personal Fouls Per Game 16.7 19.6

*--*

LOGS

DUKE

*Princeton W 87-50

*Villanova W 98-85

*at Texas W 95-69

*Temple W 63-61

Army W 91-48

Illinois W 78-77

at Temple W 93-68

Davidson W 102-60

Michigan W 104-61

at Portland W 97-64

at Stanford L 84-83

N. Carolina A&T; W 108-73

at Florida St. W 99-72

Clemson W 115-74

at N.C. State W 84-78

Virginia W 103-61

Boston College W 97-75

at Georgia Tech W 98-77

Wake Forest W 85-62

at Maryland W 98-96 (OT)

North Carolina L 85-83

Florida St. W 100-58

at Clemson W 81-64

N.C. State W 101-75

at Virginia L 91-89

at St. John’s W 91-59

Georgia Tech W 98-54

at Wake Forest W 82-80

Maryland L 91-80

at North Carolina W 95-81

**N.C. State W 76-61

**Maryland W 84-82

**North Carolina W 79-53

*

NCAA tournament

Monmouth, N.J. W 95-52

Missouri W 94-81

UCLA W 76-63

USC W 79-69

* Preseason NIT ** ACC tournament

*

MARYLAND

*Louisville W 95-73

*Illinois L 90-80

*Dayton L 77-71

at Wisconsin, OT L 78-75

**at Michigan W 82-51

**George Washington W 71-63

Stony Brook W 107-59

at Penn W 87-81

UMBC W 93-67

Norfolk St. W 123-79

Chicago St. W 117-55

Md. Eastern Shore W 105-53

at Clemson W 104-92

Georgia Tech W 93-80

North Carolina L 86-83

at Florida St. W 83-55

Wake Forest W 81-71

at N.C. State W 75-61

Duke, OT L 98-96 OT

at Virginia L 99-78

Clemson W 69-54

at Georgia Tech L 72-62

at North Carolina L 96-82

Florida St. L 74-71

at Wake Forest W 73-57

N.C. State W 95-66

Oklahoma W 68-60

at Duke W 91-80

Virginia W 102-67

***Wake Forest W 71-53

***Duke L 84-82

*

NCAA tournament

George Mason W, 83-80

Georgia St. W, 79-60

Georgetown W, 76-66

Stanford W, 87-73

* Maui Invitational

**Invitational

*** ACC tournament